On Friday, December 12, 2014, BYU Law Professor Michalyn Steele met with nine judges and lawyers from Central and South America. These visitors were invited to the United States under the auspices of the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. The distinguished guests were participants in a curriculum focused on “Administration of Justice” and “Rule of Law.”
“I was deeply impressed by their individual achievements and their commitment to the rule of law in the home countries,” Professor Steele said. “We had a lively discussion about the federal-tribal relationship in the United States and indigenous issues throughout the Americas.”
The Department of State has outlined the following specific objectives for the project:
• Examine the underlying principles of the U.S. judiciary and legal system and the culture of lawfulness in the United States;
• Deepen understanding of the civil, criminal, juvenile, tribal, and military justice systems in the United States; and
• Examine the administration of courts, case management, trial by jury process, and alternative dispute resolution.
The Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy coordinated the guests’ visit to Utah and arranged for interpreters from the U.S. State Department.